6 Terrifying Facts About Santa's Horned Helper

Been naughty this year? Krampus is coming.

He's the Subject of Celebrations

Who would have thought that a monster that abducts and beats kids would be celebrated?

Yes—Krampus parties are a thing.

These celebrations, called Krampuslauf—Krampus Run—are quite wild. Customs vary by location, but the tradition is ancient, going back hundreds of years.

Imagine being relentlessly pursued by a bipedal, horned beast armed with a lash through the wintry snows.

This is Krampuslauf.

In the evenings of November and December, in towns across Austria and Germany, you can find people—children and adults, alike—being intimidated and chased by people dressed as Krampus, often wielding torches and real instruments of torture that include whips.

And believe it or not, these whips are used on people, inflicting scratches and minor injuries. Participants are often said to come away thinking seriously on the evils they committed in the past year, promising not to commit them again in the future.